


Still Not Over You

by KatsInSpace



Category: Chuck (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 09:25:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7527313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatsInSpace/pseuds/KatsInSpace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been five years and Chuck still isn't over Bryce Larkin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still Not Over You

Chuck never had the chance to finish college. He had attended Stanford on a full ride scholarship. There, he met Bryce Larkin who had eventually become his best friend. They even became roommates. They grew very close to each other and were almost perfectly in sync.

So when Bryce had him kicked out out of Stanford, he was both confused and upset, but not angry. He could never be angry at him.

Suffice to say, Ellie was very disappointed to find out that her little brother could no longer attend college.

Not wanting them to have a bad opinion of Bryce – because Chuck knows that Bryce wouldn't do that for no reason – he lied, saying that they took away his scholarship, claiming that they could no longer afford it. And since he relied on the scholarship to pay for his college, Chuck was kicked out for not being able to afford it.

They – Ellie, Awesome, and Morgan – were upset at them for pulling Chuck a semester before he graduated. Chuck managed to convince them not to complain to Stanford, lying again that it was a third party who decided so it would do no good.

They believed him. Good thing too because it would not have gone down well if they found out he lied.

“Hey, you got an email,” Morgan pointed out when they were in the middle of a game after Chuck's birthday party.

Chuck paused his game, looking over at his computer. “I do?” He stands up, walking over to his computer to check the name.

“It's Bryce,” Chuck says, slightly surprised.

“Bryce your college roommate?” Morgan asks with a smirk.

“Yes, that one.”

“How 'bout I leave you two alone,” Morgan says slyly.

Chuck sighs at him. Ever since Chuck had told Morgan that he was in love with Bryce, he'd always act like that around the two of them or whenever Bryce was mentioned.

“Peddle safely,” Chuck calls after him.

“I will!”

Once Chuck was alone, he checks out the email. He tilts his head in confusion when he sees the code to Zork in it. “What are you thinking?” He asks unsurely as he types in the answer.

Chuck doesn't know what's happening but pictures are flashing by quickly. He doesn't remember them and passes out.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck doesn't know what to think or expect. His ex best friend had just sent him some random thing that made him, flash? On things. Like that general guy.

“Like Batman, you know? Vicky Vale?” Morgan asks.

Chuck, who had been on the phone with a customer, decides to sing it out. Why? He didn't know.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Chuck tinges red, hanging up the phone looking up. He wore a nervous smile. “Uh hi,” he greets, embarrassed from having been caught. “Welcome to the Buy More. How can the Nerd Herd be of service to you?”

The blonde raises her phone with a smile. “My uh, my phone. It's broken.”

“No problem,” Chuck says. He grabs the phone from her. “This is a common problem with this type of phone.” After showing her how to fix it, he returns the phone to her with a smile.

“Thank you.”

It seems as though she was about to say something but was interrupted by a dad having trouble with a video. Chuck helps him out and returns to the desk with the lady gone.

Chuck pays no attention. That is until Morgan points something out. “Hey! She left her number,” he holds up the card.

Chuck frowns, staring at it. He just shrugs it off. “Throw it away.”

What Chuck doesn't expect is for her to return the next day. Chuck doesn't think much of it. “Hey, is it your phone again?”

“Yeah, it seems to be acting up again.”

“What's wrong with it?”

“It's not getting calls,” she pauses. “Because I didn't get a call from a certain Nerd Herder.”

At first, Chuck is a bit confused. But he soon realizes what she means. ' _Oh._ ' He shifted uncomfortably. He gives her an apologetic smile. “I'm sorry,” he starts to say in the most gentle way possible.

She seemed to be a bit confused.

“While I'm flattered, I'm just not interested.” It was true, he didn't want to date anyone. At least not anyone besides him. It was pathetic really.

“Oh,” she seemed both shocked and disappointed.

It was a good thing too, because that girl, Sarah Walker, turned out to actually work for the CIA. So she wasn't actually interested in him.

Chuck had shown Sarah around town and ended up being chased by the NSA. Sarah had dragged him away, explaining everything. But when she brought up Bryce working for the CIA?

' _I knew there was something off about him,_ ' Chuck thinks triumphantly.

But then they end up asking him for help to diffuse a bomb. Because he's supposed to know how? Even if he “flashes” on them.

“Why don't you ask Bryce?” ' _Because apparently, he's a_ spy _and he never bothered to say anything about it._ ' “He works for the CIA! He should know how to-”

“Bryce Larkin is _dead,_ ” Sarah says firmly.

Chuck's blood runs cold. “He's dead?” He barely manages to whisper out.

Chuck couldn't believe it, he didn't _want_ to believe it. Bryce couldn't be dead. He hadn't seen him since Stanford and he still longed to see him. When he left, they weren't exactly on good terms.

But Chuck loved him, _loves_ him. He's head over heels for him and he's gone.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Casey and Sarah end up sticking around after. He can't bring himself to care all that much because Bryce is dead and everything hurts. He still doesn't care when he finds out that Casey is his new neighbor.

Chuck's change in behavior doesn't go unnoticed. Ellie and Awesome are too busy with work, but Morgan surely notices.

“So what's up? You've been pretty down lately,” he points out.

Chuck sighs. “That obvious?”

Morgan nods. “Does it have to do with that email Bryce sent you?”

' _In a way, yes._ ' Chuck shakes his head. He wasn't allowed to say anything about it. “Just worried about the assistant manager position,” Chuck lied.

“Oh, well, you have nothing to worry about, buddy! You'll be sure to get it!”

That does nothing to cheer him up.

The next day, Bryce's death becomes public knowledge.

Ellie barges into his room as Chuck is tying his shoes. She wears a worried and an upset expression. She's holding a newspaper in her hand. She sits down next to him and stares at him gently. “You need to see this,” she tells him softly.

Chuck grabs the newspaper from her. His heart clenched when he sees Bryce's picture. Chuck hadn't seen his face in so long. He feels his eyes water. Chuck takes a deep breath, handing it back to her.

“Did you know?”

Chuck shakes his head. “No,” his voice breaks and he feels tears fall. “I didn't.” He chokes out a sob and Ellie wraps her arms around him in comfort. He accepts the comfort from her and cries out the pain he had been holding in the past few days.

“I'm sorry Chuck,” Ellie says gently. “I know how much you cared for him.”

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Ellie goes to Bryce's funeral with him as a support. Awesome would have been there but he never knew Bryce as well as Ellie.

Chuck knows that Sarah and Casey were there. Most likely to keep an eye on him but he wasn't too sure about Sarah.

Chuck and Ellie had kept to the back, away from everyone else. Chuck wasn't sure if everyone there were actual people Bryce knew.

Ellie said nothing, knowing that the best comfort was just her presence.

Chuck felt himself tear up when they started to pile the dirt onto Bryce's coffin. It reminded him that this was real, that Bryce was truly gone.

They lingered back when everyone left. Chuck wanted to be with him just a bit longer.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

A month later, when Chuck is still trying to recover, everything just hits him again during a mission. It almost blows his cover.

“Chuck? Chuck Bartowski? It's me! Alan Watterman!”

Chuck tenses at his voice. He remembers Alan very clearly. He had been one of his frat brothers back at Stanford. He had the room across him and Bryce.

“Uh hey,” Chuck says reluctantly. “It's been awhile.”

“Yeah it has, hasn't it?” He replies in a fond voice. “How many was it? Four right?”

“Uh five actually,” Chuck mumbles reluctantly.

“Five-? Oh! Right, sorry,” he looked apologetic. Alan stared at Chuck with a genuine look. “I saw the newspaper last month,” Alan starts softly, taking a seat next to him.

Chuck's hands clench against his pants, forcing his emotions down. He knows what Alan means.

“And I know what Bryce did was a shitty thing,” Alan sets his hand on Chuck's shoulder in comfort. “But I know you two were close and I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what you have had to go through; it must have hurt you a lot.”

Chuck turns away, eyes closed. He didn't want to cry. Especially with Alan and Casey watching him. “It did,” he confessed.

“I don't know why he did that but I could tell that he cared a lot for you.”

Chuck felt Casey staring at him intensely. He didn't want Casey or Sarah to know much more than the basics between him and Bryce.

Chuck sighed.

“Sorry to bring up bad memories,” Alan apologized. “Listen,” he dug into his pocket and took out a piece of paper. “If you ever need anything, just call me.”

Alan left directly after Chuck took the card.

Chuck turned back to Casey, seeing him still glaring at him. He felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

“2003 was four years ago,” Casey notes firmly.

Chuck sighed. He might as well just say it, Casey had already put the pieces together. “Fine, I was kicked out of Stanford, happy?” He mutters glumly.

Casey grunts. “You think I don't know that already? It's my job to know everything about you, and that _includes_ Stanford.”

Chuck didn't even know why he was surprised. He should have known.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

“Who's Chuck Bartowski's best friend?” Morgan asks during one of their game nights. “Asides from yours truly of course.”

Ellie just scoffs at him, rolling her eyes.

“Uh,” Sarah trailed off. “I don't know, Ellie?”

Morgan laughed. “No!” Ellie glared at him. “Not that there's anything wrong with you of course,” he said that to Ellie. “But no,” he replied to Sarah. “It's Bryce Larkin, how do you not know?”

Sarah seemed to falter.

“I've always liked Bryce,” Ellie comments. “He was a good person. He was really great with Chuck.”

Chuck just stayed silent. He still wasn't over his death. Both Morgan and Ellie tried to cheer him up by bringing up good memories but it would never work.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

“You knew Bryce?” Chuck brings up once they're outside alone.

Sarah nods. “I did, we were partners.”

Chuck tenses. “How- how close were you?”

Chuck didn't want to think about it. Sarah and Bryce dating? Of course they would. Why wouldn't they?

“We were just partners,” Sarah tells him. “Our cover was a married couple but it was just that. But we were close enough.”

Chuck felt a bit of relief. He, at first, actually thought that Bryce dated Sarah. They worked together as CIA and were most likely complete bad asses, so it made sense.

He was glad that they never actually dated. Although, Chuck doesn't really have the right to get jealous or upset over it, because he was just Bryce's friend.

But nonetheless, Chuck was still glad.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck stared at his name on the interview list under “2003.” He didn't know what he would see, he didn't remember ever hearing about an interview from Fleming.

Chuck places his hand on the mouse when he hears a voice from the doorway.

“You didn't think we would let you keep it, did you?”

Chuck looks up at Sarah standing at the doorway, arms crossed. She looked disappointed in him.

Chuck sighs, “I just need to know.”

“Okay,” she gives in, taking a spot next to him.

Chuck clicks on his name, the video opening up to show Fleming sitting there.

“ _Interview for Chuck Bartowski, start.” He turns around and presses an intercom. “Send him in.”_

But Chuck doesn't walk in as he expected him to. At first, he thought It was when he was getting kicked out, but he was clearly wrong. In walks Bryce Larkin.

' _What? Bryce, why-_ ' he continues watching, needing answers.

“ _Bryce? What are you doing here, I'm waiting for another student.”_

_Bryce takes a seat in front of Fleming, glaring at him with a firm expression. His voice was hard. “Chuck Bartowski? He never got your message.”_

“ _What are you talking about-” Fleming attempted to pass it off as if Bryce was completely off._

_But Bryce relented on. “You put Chuck in the recruitment track.”_

“ _He has a lot of potential, the amount he can contain is extraordinary.”_

“ _I want him out of this,” Bryce says firmly._

Chuck stared at the video. Everything he knew about Bryce was confirmed. He always knew that Bryce never had any malicious intent.

“ _Imagine what he can do, Bryce,” Fleming attempts to convince him.“You two could be partners. Wouldn't you like that? I know that you've always been a bit biased when it comes to Chuck Bartowski.”_

Chuck looked at it in confusion. Had he heard that right? About Bryce being biased? They were friends, he knew that, but biased?

_Bryce seemed to hesitate. “He's a good person, this will only destroy him. Chuck can't work for the government.”_

_Fleming sighed. “You know that I'm required to send all the top test scores to them. Even if I wanted to, I can't take it back.”_

Chuck notes that Bryce didn't seem too happy about that. He looked very upset. _“What if he cheated on the exam, copied all the answers? It would invalidate the results, right?” Fleming nodded hesitantly. “Good, now you're going to help me.”_

Chuck stayed silent as the video went to black. He took in the new information he had just learned. “Bryce framed me, to save me,” he said aloud. ' _I knew it, I just knew that Bryce was, is, a good person._ '

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

“Chuck.”

Said man looks up from his place at the Nerd Herd station. He sees Sarah standing there with an unreadable expression.

“Hey Sarah,” he greeted. “What's up?” He suspects that it has something to do with Casey missing from the Buy More – which had Big Mike very upset.

She was silent at first. She approached him, waving to Chuck to come near her.

He does. “What's wrong?” He was starting to get worried. Sarah doesn't act like that too often.

“Chuck,” she says slowly and cautiously. “Bryce is alive.”

Chuck froze. Had he heard that right? Did Sarah just say that Bryce was alive? “What he- he's alive?” He barely manages to stutter out.

Sarah nods.

“What – what did he say?” Chuck stuttered.

Sarah shrugged. “I don't know, he would only speak to you.”

Chuck was shocked. ' _Only me?_ ' He tinged ted.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck hesitated. He was fearful. He didn't know why though, he desperately wanted to see Bryce again. And he was just a few steps away from the glass window and he'd see him again.

But Chuck couldn't move. He couldn't make himself take those few steps to see Bryce again. To _be_ with Bryce again.

“Chuck?” Sarah asks from where she is standing next to Casey, in front of the large window.

“Bartowski!” Casey bellowed. “Get in there.”

Chuck's heart beated quickly. He felt a push from behind and he forced himself to take the first step. He swallowed nervously and kept his eyes down, not ready to see him just yet.

Chuck stood before the three, back facing the window. “Has- has he said anything?” Chuck asked reluctantly.

“No,” Casey answered. Having been there since before he and Sarah arrived, he would have known. “Still refusing to talk to anyone but you.” He put his hand on the door knob. “Ready?”

“No,” Chuck said honestly. “Can I have a few minutes?”

“No,” Casey replied harshly, swinging open the door. He motioned inward. “Get in there.”

Chuck took a deep breath. Chuck was still too nervous to see Bryce but he needed to go, for both himself and the government.

Chuck forces himself to walk in. He kept his eyes focused to the ground, avoiding Bryce for the moment. He had entered a completely white room, one that he knew is a medical room.

Chuck breathed in deeply. He forced his eyes up, palms sweaty and heart ramming against his chest. He knows he's shaking.

Chuck feels himself go breathless, heart skipping a beat at the figure cuffed to the table. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

“Bryce,” Chuck breathes out, eyes wide.

Bryce didn't move at all, still staring into space at a spot in front of him. He was slightly scruffy, expression firm on his face. Bryce was dressed in the white hospital garb.

When Bryce finally looked up, head barely moving, Chuck's breath hitched. His gaze was cold. “Who are you?”

Other than videos, Chuck hadn't heard his voice in so long. Hearing it in person was far better than a video.

“It's me, Chuck,” he answered, stumbling over his words.

“I don't believe you,” he said bluntly.

Chuck faltered. ' _What had they done to him to make him so untrustworthy? It's_ me, _he would have always trusted me._ ' He sighs, taking steps closer to be nearer to him.

“It's me Bryce,” he reassures him. “And unless this is some twilight zone, then I'm sure it's me.”

Bryce paused, seeming to hesitate a little. “Prove it.”” He uttered something in Klingon.

Chuck was confused for a moment, it took him a moment to realize that it had been Klingon, their language that they had shared back in college. ' _Even after all this time, he still remembers._ ' He wore a small smile. Chuck uttered back a reply.

Bryce smiles.

Chuck feels his chest tighten up. He smiles shyly.

“Your Klingon is a bit rusty Chuck,” Bryce replies with a smirk.

“It's been awhile, cut me some slack.”

Bryce chuckles.

Chuck pauses. “Hey, uh, can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” he says playfully.

“Other than that,” Chuck brushes it off. “Why'd you uh, why'd you send me the intersect? Out of everyone, you sent it to me, why?”

Gone was his easy going, playfully demeanor, in place with a more serious one.

“Bryce?” Chuck asks out of worry. The other was now avoiding his gaze.

“Not here, there's too much people,” he mutters. “ _They_ could be watching.”

Chuck tilted his head in confusion. “ _They?_ ” He questioned. “Did _they?_ Can you be any more cryptic? Who is _they?_ ”

Bryce nodded his head, motioning Chuck to come closer. Chuck assumes that it's to tell him, so he moves closer. He has his ear next to Bryce's face so he could say it as softly as he wanted to.

What Chuck didn't expect was for Bryce to break out of one of the cuffs, grabbing a syringe and holding it to Chuck's neck.

“Untie me,” he demanded.

Chuck did, feeling oddly calm despite the threat. He just had a feeling that Bryce wouldn't actually hurt him.

Casey and Sarah come bursting through the door while Bryce holds Chuck in a tight grip, still holding the needle to his neck. It wasn't until he saw the guns his two handlers were holding that he felt panic. Panic at the fear of shooting both himself and Bryce.

“Let him go, Larkin,” Casey barks out.

“Sarah, nice to see you,” Chuck couldn't help but feel a little jealous at that. “Care to try again, Casey?”

' _Again?_ ' Chuck was confused, because it sounded like Casey was the one who killed Bryce. Which couldn't be true right?

“Let me him go, Bryce,” Sarah demanded.

“You know I can't do that,” Bryce tells him. “Give me the code and I won't hurt him.”

Chuck already knew that Bryce wouldn't hurt him. The only thing he had to worry about is the guns pointed at them.

“The _code,_ Sarah,” Bryce says firmly. “Because I _will_ do it.”

Chuck's hands had been on Bryce's arm, the arm that had been holding him back. He felt safer there than if he had been with Casey and Sarah.

Sarah hesitates before saying the code.

They slip into the elevator. Bryce is still holding onto him until after the doors slide shut. Bryce lets go. “You knew I wouldn't do it, right?”

Chuck turns around, seeing Bryce smiling right at him. His posture was loose and easy going again.

Chuck doesn't answer. Instead, wearing an expression of relief and happiness, throws himself at Bryce, wrapping him in a tight hug.

Bryce goes rigid at first but immediately loosens up directly after.

Chuck breathes in deeply, taking in the medical smell and faint scent of Bryce. “I've missed you,” Chuck mutters into his neck. Chuck held him tightly.

Bryce doesn't hesitate, he slips his arms around Chuck's waist, careful of the syringe still in his hand. “I've missed you too, Chuck,” his tone was one of joy. “I take it you're still not mad at me?”

Chuck pulls away, shaking his head. “I was never mad at you,” he confesses. Bryce looked surprised. “I knew there was a reason you did it, because you'd never mean any harm to me.”

Bryce stares at Chuck with awe. He's like that for a few moments before a smile broke out.

Chuck feels his heart flutter at seeing Bryce's smile. He missed this. He missed being with Bryce. He felt an urge within him that he couldn't hold back.

“Bryce, I-” Chuck stutters but curse himself. He flushes red. He turns away in embarrassment. Face warm, he buries it into his hands.

“Chuck?” Bryce asks, sounding worried.

' _I can't believe I almost told him that I loved him,_ ' Chuck thought to himself.

“Chuck? You okay?”

Chuck feels a hand on his shoulder. He didn't want to confess to Bryce what he almost said. Thankfully, the elevator having been slowed down, prevented him from so.

Bryce grabs him again, pulling Chuck close to himself and holding the syringe back to his neck, similar to what he did before. Bryce held a different presence, one of rebellion. “You stop this elevator one more time and I'll kill him,” Bryce said firmly when they opened.

But it hadn't been the CIA. It was some guy that Chuck didn't recognize with a scar on his face. He soon flashed and Chuck recognizes that the other is part of this group named Fulcrum.

When Chuck snaps out of the flash, the elevator doors are closing and Bryce is letting go of Chuck. He turns to see a frustrated look on his face. “What's Fulcrum?” He can't help but ask.

Bryce looked up at him with a panicked look. “How do you know about that?”

“The uh, this,” Chuck points to his head, referencing the Intersect.

Bryce looked at him with amazement. “You _can_ do it.”

“What's Fulcrum?” Chuck repeats.

Bryce doesn't answer, changing the subject instead. “It was nice seeing you Chuck,' he makes Chuck confused. Bryce steps closer, giving him a hug again. “I'll see you later. And I'm sorry.”

“What-?” Chuck didn't get to finish his sentence. He had felt a prick in his neck before he started getting dizzy by the first word. He faintly feels Bryce hold him before blacking out completely.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck, when he woke up, had immediately noticed that Bryce was gone. He was disappointed, but he had somewhere to be. He had to be at dinner with his faintly.

When he gets back from the Buy More, Bryce's words still echoed in his mind.

“ _Care to try again Casey?”_

Chuck _really_ didn't like to think about it but he had a feeling what that meant.

“Uh Casey?” He asks hesitantly, standing near to him. He and Sarah had been invited over to have dinner with Ellie, Awesome, and Morgan. “What did Bryce mean when he said “care to try again Casey?” Because it sure sounds like you were the one who shot him.”

“That's because I did.”

Chuck tensed.

It was a good thing that Ellie had called him into the kitchen for some help because he didn't know what he would have done. Casey, while bigger, stronger, and much scarier than him, was no match for an angry Chuck Bartowski.

An angry Chuck didn't happen too often, but when it did, the targets of his anger all regretted their actions.

The point is that Chuck hated Casey for being the one that put a bullet through Bryce. Casey being an overall jerk to Chuck did not compare to the former practically killing Bryce.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

The next time Chuck saw Bryce was, true to Bryce's word, not long after. He had just came back from the Nerd Herd car to get the marshmallows when he heard his voice.

“Bryce? Hey!” He greeted with a big smile. It was nice to see Bryce again so soon.

“I told you that I'd come back,” he said with a smirk.

Chuck sighs dreamily, tinging red. “You did say that.”

“I need to talk to your handlers,” Bryce said bluntly.

Chuck raised an eyebrow, tilting his head in confusion. “What for?”

“I need to get them to believe that I'm not rogue,” Bryce explained. “You believe me, right?”

Chuck nodded quickly, stepping closer. “You know I do Bryce,” he said truthfully. “Who do you want to speak to?”

“I'd rather not talk to Casey.”

They, at first, didn't believe him. It took Bryce having to break into Casey's apartment and Sarah almost shooting him to get her to believe.

Of course, that isn't the same for Casey.

“Bryce!” Chuck yells out, seeing him fly back due to yet another one of Casey's bullets. He's conflicted between rage at Casey and sorrow for Bryce.

Chuck immediately goes to his side, desperately grabbing at him. He couldn't be dead, he just _co_ _u_ _ldn't._ Chuck had _just_ gotten him again, he just couldn't lose Bryce again!

“Bryce,” Chuck placed his hand on his cheek. He cradled his head gently as Sarah checked over him.

He let out a sigh of relief when he sees the bullet proof vest. “Bryce!” He beamed happily.

Bryce mumbled, blinking rapidly. He opens his eyes, staring up at Chuck. “Hey Chuck,” he mumbles.

“Let's get you patched up,” Sarah suggested, pulling him up.

Bryce stands up, moving over to a chair. Chuck follows him, taking a seat directly next to him. He starts to remove the bullet proof vest.

“It's a good thing you had that on,” Chuck comments.

Bryce smiles at him. He takes off a piece, handing it to Chuck. “It's not all good though.”

Chuck stares at him, eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

Bryce turned slightly, smirking. “Sorry to ruin your one-for-one Casey,” he taunted, removing another piece of the vest. “You should aim for the head next time.”

Chuck frowned at him. “Don't say that!” He scolded him, gaining Bryce's attention. The other man looked down slightly in shame. “Casey will take you seriously! I don't want you dead.”

Bryce looked at him, the vest disassembled on his lap. He sat there, only in his pats and looked at Chuck with a sorry expression.

“So, will you tell us about Fulcrum or will I have to beat it out of you?” Casey asks harshly.

Bryce glares at Casey for a moment and looks away. “No thanks, I'll talk.”

“Darn.”

Chuck glanced at Casey, hiding his look of anger and irritation. Casey actually looked as if he wanted to hurt him. He looks back at Bryce.

Chuck stared at him intently, taking in the sight of the man he had thought to be dead. The other was explaining his side, not bothering to dress himself just yet.

Chuck had missed him very dearly.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck woke to the sound of his window opening. He opens his eyes, trying to blink through the blurriness in his eyes.

“Bryce?” He mutters sleepily. He stared at the shape that stood before the window.

“Chuck.”

Said man could hear Bryce's voice. He closed the window and approached his bed. He stood at his side, the light now shining on his face.

“Do you mind if I stay here?” Bryce looked nervous.

“No, go ahead,” Chuck insisted, scooting over to give him some space.

Bryce removed his shirt and shoes, setting them to the side. “Thanks Chuck,” he said, climbing into bed, getting under the covers. “I couldn't stand being in Casey's apartment.”

“Too suffocating?” Chuck asked him.

“Sorry I had you deal with him,” Bryce tells him genuinely. “I don't know how you do it.”

“It's uh,” Chuck hesitated. Casey was difficult but he had gotten used to it. “It's fine. He's just doing it for the mission.”

“Still,” Bryce urged. “He's a lot to deal with.”

“How was it all?” Chuck asked, deciding to change the subject.

“How was what?”

“Being a CIA spy? Was it what we always thought it would be?”

Bryce hesitates.

“Bryce?” Chuck asks, noticing his reluctance.

“It wasn't, not really,” he sighs. “I thought it would be cool but after having gone through it a couple times, you realize it's not all that great.”

“That's what you saved me from?” Chuck asks, referencing the interview video.

“You saw it,” Bryce states. “Your recruitment video.”

Chuck nods. “I know that you did it to save me,” Chuck tells him. “So thank you.”

Bryce just smiles at him. He brings a hand to his cheek, cupping it gently.

Chuck flushes at the warmth of his hand.

“Sleep Chuck,” he says softly. “We have a big day tomorrow.”

Chuck closed his eyes despite the aching feeling on his chest. Tomorrow is a big day. It's the day he has to part with Bryce again.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

When Chuck woke up, Bryce had already been gone. He could hear his phone still ringing, having been the one that had waken him.

Chuck groans and forces himself up. He grabs at his phone, staring at the screen.

Casey had just given him a call.

“Casey?” It wasn't about Bryce spending the night with him, was it?

“Hurry up Bartowski.” Casey said firmly. “We have work to do.” And with that, the call ends.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck watched with an aching heart as Bryce walked with Sarah and away from him, possibly forever. He wanted more time with him, to just be with him and talk, be in his company. But he couldn't have that, Bryce was going to be off doing something else.

And Chuck will never see him again.

At least, that's what he thought until Fulcrum agents had come in and invaded the Buy More. Casey had shoved him into the theater room to duck away from the action.

At first, it was just Casey. Then it was Sarah and Bryce too. _Bryce,_ the guy that Chuck had thought would be long gone.

A smile breaks out onto his face as he watches Bryce in action. He was smooth, quick, and skilled. He was simply amazing.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck gasped out a breath, hacking violently from having been just hit by a bullet. Fortunately, he had taken the bullet proof vest that Bryce had worn.

Bryce kneeled next to him, helping him up. “You okay Chuck?”

“Yeah, uh yeah,” he coughs again. “Why didn't you tell me that would hurt?”

“I didn't think that there was a need for you to use it,” Bryce explains. “But I'm glad you did Chuck.”

“I'm glad I did too,” Chuck answered, earning a chuckle from Bryce.

-.-Still Not Over You-.-

Chuck waited with agitation as he stared at the ruined theater room. He wanted to know what was happening with Bryce. If he was getting fired, if he was getting promoted, if he was being sent away. And if he was, then where would it be?

Both Sarah and Casey had been called in too. And Chuck didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Soon after, both Sarah and Casey walked out. Sarah seemed hesitant, and Casey looked even more irritated than usual.

“What happened?” Chuck asked nervously. ' _What was happening to Bryce?_ '

Casey just grunted with annoyance and walked off.

Sarah began to speak. “Chuck, Bryce is-”

“Team Bartowski's getting a fourth.”

Chuck glanced over at a beaming Bryce. He smiles back at him. “Does that mean you're” he cuts himself off, unable to keep in his joy.

“I'm here to stay, Chuck.”

Chuck practically tackles him into a hug, wrapping his arms around him. He felt Bryce hug him back.

 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is ElectronicSpace if you wanted to drop by.  
> Criticism welcome.


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